Animated sign



ANIMATED SIGN George Arthur Strader and Ludwig Martin Eymann,Sacramento, Calif.

Application July 23, 1954, Serial No. 445,432 SClaims. (Cl. 40132) Thisinvention relates in general to improvements in advertising signs, andparticularly to a sign especially adapted-but not limitd-fofuse indoors,as in eating establishments, theater lobbies, taverns, or the like.sign, which includes advertising or display material in fluorescentpaint illuminated by ultra-violet or black light, is thus more effectivewhen used at night or at least under conditions of less than fulldaylight.

Themajor object of this invention is to provide an advertising sign, ofthe type described, which includes with a source of ultra-violet lightapair of sign panels, both exposed for vision but relatively movable bypower means so that only one at a time of said panels is exposed to andilluminated by the ultra-violet light from said source.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an advertisingsign, as above, wherein the relatively movable sign panels are arrangedin such manner that when illuminated in succession, which produces avery unique and attractive visual effect.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an advertising sign,for accomplishment of a result as in the preceding paragraph, whereinone of the sign panels is pivotally mounted for recurrent to and froswinging, and in a predetermined relation to both the other sign paneland the source of ultra-violet light. The relationship is such that whensaid pivotally mounted sign panel is at the mounted sign panel is in anont-of-the-way, non-illuminated position, and exposes the other signpanel for illumination from said source.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an advertising signwhich, while being extremely eye appealing, is nevertheless simple instructure and easy to manufacture economically.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical andreliable advertising sign, and one which will be exceedingly eifectivefor the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangementof parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a. perspective view of the advertising sign.

ig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional elevation of the panel at theend of the rearward stroke, and at which time said swingable sign panelalone is illuminated; the fixed sign panel being blocked fromillumination.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the charactersof reference marked thereon, the advertising sign is here shown in aportable embodiment, and

2,778,135 Patented Jan. 22, 1957 comprises a housing, indicatedgenerally at 1. The housing 1 includes a top" 2, sides 3, a back 4, abottom 5, and a front 6; the latter being formed with a relatively largesize, rectangular viewing opening or window 7.

Within the housing 1, inwardly of the' viewing opening 7, there is alower, relatively large, rectangular sign panel 8 which faces saidopening; there being an upper, rectangular sign panel 9 of considerablylesser vertical extent shown, and which is lettered or'drawn influorescent paint; i. e., paint which glows when subjected toultra-violet or black light.

The lower signpanel 8 is fitted, adjacent the top corners,

ing sides 3 by means of screws 11. The arms 10 are preferably notched,as at 12, with the notches opening downwardly, whereby said arms 10 areseparable from the screws 11 for removal and' replacement of the signpanel 8.

With the sign panel 8 mounted as above it tends to to said rearwardposition by gravity.

The housing 1 is fitted on the inner face of each side 3 1n alinementwith the arms 10, with horizontal bars or cleats 13 aflixed' to saidsides; such cleats each being formed with a row of upwardly openingnotches 14. Corand lower edges. Additionally, the inclination of thesign panel 9 is such that it is substantially parallel to the sign panel8 when the latter gravitationally displaces to the end of its returnstroke, as in Fig. 3.

The'lower or swingable sign panel 8 is recurringly power of thefollowing mechanism: a

A base'lS is secured to the bottom 5 within the housing 1 substantiallycentrally of its ends and some distance from the front 6-. A verticalaxis, electric motor 16, including a reduction gear unit 17 thereon, isfixed to the base 15; the reduction gear unit 1 7 including an upwardlyprojecting, slow speed output shaft 18. An eccentric disc 19 is securedto the shaft 18, and such disc runs-at A concave reflector 20 isdisposed in the lower front corner of the housing 1 and extendssubstantially full length thereof; such reflector lying below ahorizontal or longitudinally extending, elongated, ultra-violet lightdischarge type of tube, indicated at 21; such tube being supported byend brackets 22 projecting forwardly from a case 23 which encloses theusual ballast, wiring, etc. for thetube21.

Electricity for energizing the motor 16 and the tube 21 is provided byan electric cord 24 fitted, at its outer end, with a plug 25 andbranching, at the inner end, as at 26, with one branch leading to themotor 16 and the other branch leading into the case 23 which supportsthe tube 21.

The reflector 20 and the tube 21 lie in such relative position below thesign panels 8 and 9 that the following result is attained upon therecurrent cyclic motion of the panel 8: W

When said lower or swingable sign panel 8 is in its vertical position,as in Fig. 2, its lower edge portion abuts against the upper part ofthe,reflector,';as at 2 7, and in this position the face of panel 8 isnot at all exposed to the ultra-violet light from the tubell, and hencethe advertising or display material on the face of such panel is notilluminated. However, in this position of the sign panel 8 the face ofthe sign panel 9 is directly exposed to the ultra-violet light from thetube 21 so that the advertising or display material on the panel 9 isilluminated; i. e. glows brilliantly under the influence of theultra-violet light from said tube. V

When the lower or swingable sign panel 8, in the course of its recurrentcyclic motion, occupies a return or rearward position, as in Fig. 2,such panel completely blocks the sign panel 9 from exposure to theultra-violet light from the tube 21 so that such panel is notilluminated. However, at such time 'the' face of sign panel 8 is exposedto such light and the advertising or display material glows brilliantly.5 With the sign panels 8 and 9 arranged and actuated as shown, andbearing the described predetermined relationship to the tube 21, saidpanels are alternately illuminated, which produces a very unique andattractive appearance. Also, the sign can be used as an effectiveadvertising medium by providing, for example, a question on the face ofthe panel 9, with the answer-sponsoring some product--appearing on theface of the panel 8, or vice versa. From the foregoing description itwill be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as willsubstantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as setforth herein.I

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations therefrommay be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of theinvention, as defined by the appended'claims.

It is to be recognized that the present invention is here illustrated inan embodiment which includes only a pair of sign panels, but theprinciple of operation may be carried into a sign having a larger numberof such panels, with similar relative motion to produce successiveillumination of the respective sign panels. 7

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired: I r

l. A sign comprising a support, a. sourceof light on the support, onesign panel, means mounting said one sign panel on the support for motionbetween one position illuminated by said source of light and anotherposition non-illuminated thereby, another sign panel, means mounting theother sign panel on the support in a position for viewing separatelyfrom said sign; panel and for illumination from said source of light,and power means operative to recurringly cause movement of said one signpanel between said positions thereof; the other sign panel 4 i beingdisposed relative to said source of light'and said one side panel suchthat the latter, when in said illuminated position only, blocksillumination of said other sign panel from said source.

2. A sign, as in claim 1, in which both of said sign panels are providedon a viewing face thereof with advertising or display material influorescent paint; and in which said source emits ultra-violet light.

3. A sign comprising a support including an upstanding front wall havinga window therein, a pair of sign panels disposed rearwardly of thewindow and in position for separate viewing through the latter, one signpanel being below and ahead of the other, means pivoting said one signpanel on the support for swinging from a substantially perpendicularposition to a downward and rearwardly inclined position, means mountingthe other sign panel on the support in a downwardly and rearwardlyinclined position, a source of light mounted on the support inpredetermined relation to and below said sign panels, and power means onthe support operative to recurringly swing said one panel from tsinclined position to a substantially perpendicular position and thenpermit return of said one panel to said inclined position; the source oflight illuminating said one sign panel only when the latter is in saidinclined position, said one sign panel when in such last named positionblocking exposure of the othersign panel to said source of light wherebyillumination of said other sign panel occurs only when said one signpanel is in said substantially perpendicular position.

4. A sign, as in claim 3, in which said power means includes an electricmotor and reduction gear box unit on the support rearwardly of said onesign panel,'said unit including a perpendicular, slow-speed outputshaft, and an eccentric disc on the shaft, the disc bearing at itsperiphery on the baclcot said one sign panel.

5. A sign comprising a housing including a bottom, sides, and a front,the latter having a viewing window therein; a pair of sign panelsdisposed in the housing rearwardly of the window and in position forseparate viewing through the latter from in front of said housing, onesign panel being below and ahead of the other, rigid arms projectingrearwardly from the upper corner portions of said one sign panel, meanspivoting the arms to the sides of the housing rearwardly of said onesign panel whereby the latter tends to gravitationally swing to adownwardly and inwardly inclined position from a' substantiallyperpendicular position adjacent the window, means supporting the othersign panel from the'sides of the housing at a downward and inwardincline, a light source mounted in the housing adjacent the bottomthereof and in predetermined relation to and below said side panels;said relation being such that said onesign panel is illuminated by saidsource only when in said inclined position and then blocking the othersign panel against exposure to light from said source, and said othersign panel thus being illuminated from said source only when said onesign panel is in such substantially perpendicular position; and powermeans arranged in association with said one panel operative torecurringly cause the same to swing between said inclined position andsubstantially perpendicular position and then permit of gravitationalreturn to said inclined position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS668,686 Marshall Feb; 26, 1901 764,510 Wiley JulyS, 1904 2,184,721Mcllvanie Dec. 26, 1939 Musaphia Apr. 9,1940

